# Anatomy of a Guillotine Cigar Cutter



## Jim T (Jan 11, 2011)

Hope I'm posting this question in the right location. Does anyone know where I can find some diagrams of your basic guillotine cigar cutter parts? One of my hobbies is custom knifemaking and a client just asked me if I could make him a spring loaded guillotine cigar cutter. Fascinating challenge since I can't seem to find any diagrams of how a cigar cutter goes together. I guess I could buy a cheap one and dissect it, but that just seems like a waste. Anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

Jim


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## fivespdcat (Nov 16, 2010)

that's a pretty vague question, what kind of guillotine cutter are you trying to make? A standard one with a spring loading mechanism or just a knock off Xikar?


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## BMack (Dec 8, 2010)

For the winged kind, I couldn't imagine anything simpler than a U-shaped piece of metal that springs it back open. Adding a couple of additional pieces and attaching them like leaf springs would help hold the springy-ness over time and control the amount of load needed to close.


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## Jim T (Jan 11, 2011)

My apologies, Abe, you're right.

I'd like to make a double-bladed guillotine cutter, the spring-loaded type that's used by inserting the thumb and index finger (or middle finger) into the holes and squeezing the blades together to make a straight cut. Does that help?

Jim


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## BMack (Dec 8, 2010)

You can do something similar with those also. Just mount one side of a small metal bar to the case and the other to the blade. When you squeeze it the bar would bend and put it under tension and when released it would release the tension. 

You could also do a design where the blades are rectangular shaped(as a whole) but with the circle for the cutter is obvious cut out(in the middle-ish). You'd have two pieces of metal sliding past eachother and then do two U-shaped springs. One spring would be a u(top) and the other would be a n(bottom). The blade mounted to n would use the u spring to reset itself and vice-versa, if that makes sense. 

Gearing would be cool too for the sake of consistency but for a small scale project it's not worth it unless you can find a small enough pre-manufactured part.


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## JGD (Mar 2, 2009)

I think your best bet would to buy a cheap one for a dollar or two and take it apart. Then you could see how it works and build a nice one from there.


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## JustOneMoreStick (Sep 21, 2009)

^^^^^^^^ Winner ^^^^^^^^^^


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## marked (Jul 29, 2010)

What would be the benefit of the spring load on a traditional guillotine shape?


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Take apart a Xi Kar.


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## BMack (Dec 8, 2010)

JGD said:


> I think your best bet would to buy a cheap one for a dollar or two and take it apart. Then you could see how it works and build a nice one from there.


None of that style, that I know of, are spring loaded. Also, their mechanisms are likely not easily simulated on a one-off version, they have the means to make parts on a high production level.

I'd bet they use a spring-type of torsion bar and it's not really something you can make at home... and that kind of kills the point of making one yourself, in my opinion.


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## Jim T (Jan 11, 2011)

Thanks for the feedback, everybody. I will pull apart a cheap cutter (or a good one) to see how it's actually put together. Making a handmade custom cigar cutter out of quality materials makes it a one-of-a-kind and, therefore, a unique and personal novelty. I'm sure it'll be a fun project.

Jim


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## mrmikey32 (Dec 7, 2010)

I would take apart a xikar x1 then replace all the outside parts with a very nice wood, rather then whats provided.


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